Farakka Barrage has turned into a 'death trap' for Bangladesh: BNP

The Farakka Barrage has turned into a "death trap", depriving the people of Bangladesh of their fair share of water, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.

The then Awami League government allowed India to operate the Farakka Barrage on an experimental basis, ignoring biodiversity and environmental risks, he said in a statement today (16 May).  

"The barrage has since remained operational and has turned into a death trap, depriving the people of Bangladesh of their fair share of water," he said ahead of "Farakka Day" to be observed today.

Following the construction of the barrage at the Farakka point in West Bengal, India, unilateral withdrawal of water from the shared river began, severely affecting the northwestern region of Bangladesh. This has led to environmental imbalance and increasing ecological degradation in the area.

"Forty-nine years ago, at the call of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, thousands of people from across the country took part in the historic long march towards Farakka in a bid to secure Bangladesh's rightful share of the Ganges water in accordance with international law," added Fakhrul, also minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.

He also said that in protest against this situation and in view of the impending humanitarian and environmental crisis, Maulana Bhashani led the historic long march from Rajshahi towards Farakka, drawing international attention to the issue.

Since then, he added, the issue has remained widely discussed in the international arena due to its humanitarian implications.

Fakhrul further said, "The significance of Farakka Day remains highly relevant today. The construction of successive dams and barrages on 54 shared rivers flowing from India into Bangladesh, without regard for international laws and conventions, has obstructed natural river flows and resulted in unilateral water withdrawal, posing a serious threat to Bangladesh's existence."

He warned that signs of Bangladesh turning into barren and unproductive land are already becoming visible. Fakhrul added that Farakka Day continues to inspire people in their struggle for rights.

He concluded by expressing hope for the success of various programmes organised on the occasion of Farakka Day